Inada Dreamwave Massage Chair Review

The Inada Dreamwave is the new version of the Inada Sogno Dreamwave. It has been dubbed the best massage chair ever and is the most expensive chair currently on the market. (Unless there’s a gold-plated massage chair we don’t know about.)

Executive Summary

The Inada Dreamwave is an expensive premium chair from Japanese makers that are highly respected in the massage chair industry. It’s chock-full of innovative and cutting edge design and technology but the price point is not for everyone.

The older model — the Inada Sogno Dreamwave — is cheaper (slightly) and you can still get it on Amazon from some suppliers but you’ll be going without a lengthy list of features including heat and 3D back massage.

Company Background

Inada is a highly respected Japanese manufacturer. Founded in 1962, the company specializes in ultra-high-quality, world-class therapeutic massage chairs.

This Osaka-based company has won many awards for the quality and performance of its products. For example, the Dreamwave technology (which we describe below) was the first of its kind when it first came out. The same with its Dreamwave chair design (by well-known designer Toshiyuki Kita). A lot of brands followed suit immediately after but the efficacy and premium quality of the Inada brand continues to stand out.

• User Height Range: 5’0” to 6’5”
• User Max Weight: No specific published limit. If you can fit, you can sit. (source: inadausa.com)

Warranty

The Inada massage chairs come with a 3 year limited Parts and Labor Warranty. If you want a more extensive coverage, you can purchase Inada’s 5-year extended warranty which should be purchased within the first 30 days.

Pros of the Inada Dreamwave

Broadest massage coverage

The Inada Dreamwave has the ability to massage your entire body — from the palms of your hands to the soles of your feet. And that’s not just promotional drivel. Independent experts testify that this claim is real. The massage coverage for this chair is 1,200 square inches. Couple that with an amazing 100 plus airbags and that’s a whole lot more than any other massage chair you might name.

You can imagine how soothing and relaxing a gentle massage setting can be with this kind of coverage. It’s like being cradled in quiet relief, or being hugged by a warm summer cloud.

Proprietary Dreamwave Technology

When the Inada Sogno Dreamwave first came out, it was the first massage chair ever with the Dreamwave technology. As we explained in our Inada Sogno Review, the Dreamwave technology mimics the adjustments and therapy you can get from your chiropractor. The Dreamwave massage chair inflates its seat, and tilts your hips around for a rotating motion.

If you suffer from a lot of pain and can’t make these movements yourself, this technology can do it for you. So all you have to do is sit. The Dreamwave feature is very therapeutic. People who have purchased the Inada Dreamwave have shared that they’ve experienced a reduction in pain from using the chair regularly.

Proprietary Full Arm Massage

According to massage chair guru Dr. Alan Weidner, there’s nothing that comes close to the full arm massage of the Inada Dreamwave. The full arm air shiatsu feature has 20 air cells rhythmically massaging your arms in science-based sequence of movements.

Apart from revitalizing your arms, we’d say that this is an excellent way to get your lymphatic system moving especially if you work a desk job or don’t get to move about as much.

Proprietary Hip and Thigh Massage

If we keep saying “proprietary”, blame it on Inada for innovating on all these features.

The hip and thigh massage is a great way of loosening up tight large muscles in the things and hips. This promotes better and easier movement after a massage. It’s also the only massage chair that targets the IlioTibial Bands on the outside of your thighs, a plus for athletes who are suffering from iliotibial band syndrome.

Full Body Stretch Function

When we’re very sore or very fatigued, we instinctively arch for a good stretch to ease out our tired muscles. The Dreamwave has the complete stretch function that includes extension and flexion and gentle rotational stretching of problem areas like hips, mid back, and the shoulders.

Massage Chair Program for Younger Users (and all ages!)

We get a lot of questions asking if teens can have a go in massage chairs. The Dreamwave has taken them into consideration and created the Proprietary Youth Session. So long as they fit well into the chair, younger users around 14 years of age and up can enjoy its massage chair benefits.

Infrared Back and Seat Heat

Whether you’re suffering from acute or chronic pain, or just plain feeling cold and musty, the infrared heating on the Dreamwave is a welcome addition. Yep that’s right. The old model — the Inada Sogno — did not have heating but the Dreamwave has been updated with back and seat heating.

Cons of the Inada Dreamwave

More Expensive than the Inada Sogno (or other massage chairs for that matter)

The Inada Dreamwave is by far one of the most expensive (if not the most expensive) chair on our wishlist right now. If you’re constrained by budget, the Inada Dreamwave is surely not for you.

Big and Bulky

As we’ve mentioned before, the chair design of the Inada Dreamwave was an innovation and was later on copied by different brands and models. With all its bells and whistles, it is understandable if the chair is big in size and heavy in weight.

You’ll need to find a rather large space for this massage chair as it takes up quite a bit of floor area. If you’re looking for something more compact, we’d point you towards other massage chairs like the iJoy seriesor even the Kahunawhich has space saving technology.

Ease of Assembly

We’re throwing this in the cons because a couple of customers have complained that they couldn’t get the assembly right. Many more people have argued that it’s very easy to put together.

Who is right? You can check it out yourself. There’s a couple of Inada Dreamwave assembly guide videos and here’s one we’ve picked for you:

Conclusion

If you’re shopping for a massage chair, you probably already have a budget in mind. With the prohibitive price on the Inada Dreamwave, it’s very easy for this chair to get crossed out of your shortlist because of how expensive it is.

However, if you have money to spend on a real premium and luxury chair that comes from a brand that you can rely on (and no dodgy after-sales support), then the Inada Dreamwave is one of our recommendations. It’s a solid investment that will pay for itself through the years.

If you are still on the fence solely because of the price, here’s the most common way the decision-making process goes:

After I did the final research on the Internet, I decided on the Inada. I found their local dealer, and went to try. I tell you, it is unforgettable. I told my wife about the price and she said I was insane. I took her to the store, she tried it, and she made me buy it there and then.